For Zack
I agree with a lot of what A said. She is right that the legal field is a lot about legal snobbery and that in the Bay Area you've got: Stanford, Boalt, Hastings, and USF that all outrank GGU. That is not a judgment, it's just the reality. Not to mention Santa Clara, Davis, and McGeorge (other NorCal law schools). And, the bar passage rate at GGU is not great (around 54% I think). That said, I work with a ton of really smart, hard working GGU students. Perhaps because I am working in government work, the school ranking isn't as important as it is if you want to work at a firm. Why do you want to go to law school? I think that is the key question you have to ask yourself. You are going to spend a lot of money, a lot of time, and a lot of work in law school. It's an experience unlike any other, and not usually in a good way. But, the highs, while perhaps infrequent, have been really high and I would absolutely do it again. I love being in court. I am stimulated all the time. If I can manage to get a job in my chosen field, I anticipate being very happy with my career choice.
Good luck making your decision. E-mail me if you have more specific questions or if you want me to put you in touch with other GGU grads/ students.
posted by ::skh:: @ 8:29 PM
9 Comments
9 Comments:
PS - USD is a really well regarded school. I'm not sure of its ranking, but I'm pretty sure there is only one other law school in SD and USD is the better ranked. So, if you get in there and are willing to move, I'd do it. The campus is also amazingly beautiful.
To Zack, I think skh is right about the need to ask yourself what you want to get out of a law degree. GGU & USD will forclose some but not all options. I think all of us realize its arbitrary to make hiring choices completely based on your school but it is the reality of the legal world.
You should spend a lot of time crunching numbers before deciding. When I started law school the loans just looked like numbers and I didn't think through the long-term effect. If you are serious about GGU I would ask them for scholarship money. Be sure to tell them you got into USD. I know someone who turned down USF for a full scholarship at GGU. Its probably not the decision I would have made but I don't think its a bad one.
Also, if neither school offers you money I would probably go to USD. It is higher ranked, has a better reputation, and San Diego is a much less competitive market.
Best of luck!
Very good points. MelWoods transfered after her first year, so, another point I should make is that if you do really well at GGU your first year, you can transfer. A friend transferred from GGU to Hastings and another person I knew got into both USF and Santa Clara her 2nd year.
I strongly considered USD -- there is no equivalent school in San Diego (though there are some lower-ranked schools), so the opportunities there are pretty different than they would be if you went to GGU.
Yeah, I agree about motivation - if you really want to be a lawyer, have a passion for practicing law, then it may be worth it, the loans might not bother you.
If you don't know what practicing law entails (I didn't before I started), it might be worth it to get a job at a law firm for a year or two. Watch the attorneys, talk to them, see what they do all day. And save your money. And then if you do decide to apply again, the law schools will take you more seriously because you've shown commitment to the law.
Hi Sarah and all-- thanks! I really appreciate the help.
-z
Hi again, so I've been thinking about everything you've all said-- about the inescapable ranking system, about the stress and the work, and (of course) about the enormous price tag attached to Law School.
To be honest I'm not really dying to be a lawyer, it's never been a dream or anything... And I didn't do very well on the LSAT... But I had a great time preparing for it! And while I understand Law School is VERY unlike preparing for the LSAT... and what lies beyond Law School may be VERY unlike Law School itself (especially with a poorly regarded degree from GGU) I am compelled to throw caution to the wind and enroll...
But Bevy you are right 100%... I should certainly be taking a hard look at the debt I will amass, but when I do that I see no reason to go. How can I possibly justify debt upwards of 100K? I can't. But what am I supposed to do otherwise? I am convinced I want to go to law school, I think I can succeed there and imagine that I will *somehow* find a way to pay off my loans once I get out.
Am I burying my head in the sand? Maybe... but if I don't go now I know I'll never go (I'm 31) and if I don't go I'll always wonder if I should have. My guess is I'll get yet another rejection letter from USD ... But if not I'll probably head down to SoCAl for at least a year and then attempt to transfer back to the Bay Area.. Otherwise I think it'll be GGU for me... So those are my thoughts... We'll see how it pans out... Thanks again everybody-- I appreciate all your good luck wishes and helpful advice.
for the completely uninformed opinion. I am of the optimist camp that no matter what you do you will always make it work to the best of your ability. I know one sucessful GGU guy. He worked it and made it work for him. Things like low bar passage rate... so what if >50% of the other nuckledraggers can't pass the test. You are the only one that determines your ability to pass the test. You define your effort and commitment and that is what determines your passage, not some statistic.
I would jump on the nike bandwagon and "just do it." I am not one of those people that lives life with no regrets. We all have regrets, it is human nature. We just have to do what is within our power to minimize regrets. Going to GGU and fighting to be the cream of the crop at GGU is within your ability. Conviction is the key!
Wow Seth, you just make my "pro" list! Thanks -- the ol' pro list needed a shot in the arm...
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